Thursday, 22 September 2016
China: Day 10 - Yangtze River
An early start today. The boat docked at about 6:30 AM, and at 7:30 we embarked on a 2 hour walking tour to the Shibaozhai Temple. This temple was build hundreds of years ago on top of a rock outcrop above the river. It was identified as a significant cultural site prior to building the 3 Gorges Dam, so a concrete wall was built around the site to prevent the water from eroding the ground below the temple.
When the temple was first built, people had to climb the rock walls to reach the actual temple. There were many deaths from people falling on the way up. In the 1600's, a pagoda was built on one side that contained about 100 steep and narrow wooden stairs.
It was a short walk through the main street of the small town, before crossing a suspension bridge across to the temple. In order to reach the temple at the top, you had to climb the 100 steep wooden stairs in the old pagoda. It was interesting when you realized these steps had been created 300 or 400 years ago.
At the top was the original old temple that has been maintained quite well over the centuries.
We were back to our ship by 9:30 AM and by 10:00 AM we were on our way again up the Yangtze River.
